Apparatus for feeding blanks to machines for rolling screw-threads



(No Model.) 4 Sh e Bs -Sheet 1.

H. A. HARVEY.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BLA -l[ Ig[IE'IA%gAAGHINES FOR ROLLING SCREW 7 No. 248,166. Patented Oct. 11,1881.

WITNESSES} V A I A jNjgfi/NTOB W. Kim- A ATTORNEY N, PETERS. Phcln-Lilhogmphcn Waihingtcn. 0.6.

(No Mqdel.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. HARVEY.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING 'BLANKS T0 -MACHINES FOR ROLLING" SCREW THREADS. I Y

- No. 248,166. Patented w. 11', I881.

WITNESSES: A A I film/252mm BYZL6ZM Y Y ATTORNEY N. PETERS. PhotwLillIogl-nphen wmm m o. c.

4.Sheet s-Sheet a.

(No Model.) I I r H. A. HARVEY. v I APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BLANKS T0 M'AUHINES'FOB ROLL ING SGREW THREADS..

N4 FEI'ERS Pholo-Lrlhogmpher. Washington. D. C.

4 sheets sh'eet 4.

.(No Model.)

' H. A. HARVEY. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BLANKS" TO MACHINES F OR ROLLING'SGRBW THREADS.

No. 248,166. PatntedOGt. 11,1881.

N. PFI'ERS, Phom-Lilhngnphen Waihin UNITED STATES;

PATENT ()FFICE. Y

HAYWARD A. HARVEY, on ORANGE, NEw'JnasEY.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BLANKS-TO MACHINES FOR ROLLING SCREW-THREADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,166, dated October 11, 1831. Application filed May 7, 1881. (No model) To all whom it may concern I Be it known that 1, HAYWARD A. HAR- VEY, of Orange, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Blanks to Machines for Rolling the Threads of Screws, of which the following is a specification. I

My improvements relate to that class ot'machines for rolling screw-th reads in which a spiral groove is impressed upon the body of the blank by the impingement upon it of parallel ribs formed with suitable inclinationsupon the concave face of a stationary die and similar ribs, oppositely inclined, formed upon the periphery of a rotating cylindrical die, by the action of which the blank is rolled along the curved face of the stationary die.

It is essential to the successful operation of this class of machinesthat, when the blank is to have a single thread formed upon it, the ribs upon the face of one die, at their points of engagement with the blank, shall occupy elevations midway between the elevations occupied by the ribs of the other die at their points of engagement with the blank; or, if a double thread is to be formed, the apices of the ribs upon the opposed faces of the two dies, at the point where they first acquire contact with the blank must occupy the same elevations rc-- spectively. In other words, it is essential that, at the time of the first engagement of the blanks by the dies, the parallel ribs upon the opposed faces of the dies respectively shall occupy prescribed relative positions in the same radial plane. The blank having been engaged by the dies at the instant when the ribs at their point of engagement respectively. with the opposite sides of the blank occupy their proper relative positions, enters upon and pursues itsjourney through the space between the stationary die and the rotating die. When thecylindrical die has rotated so far as to have rolled the blankonce around, the ribs upon the cylindrical die again acquire the proper position with relation to the ribs upon the sta-' tionary die at the point where the blank is introduced. A

It will, of course, be understood that if the blank is to have a double thread formed uponit,

a rotation of the cylindrical die sufficient to roll the blank half-way around will again bring the ribs into the proper relative positions.

In another pending application I have described a method of controllingthe delivery of the blank to the action of the dies by intermittently-operating mechanism, the motion of which is adjustable with reference tothe 'motion of the rotating die. In that case the blank is made to enter the space between the dies by a pusher, which movesin the arc of a circle.

My present invention consists in making a section of the concave die movable toward and from the rotating die, and in suspending in front of the concave face of such sectional die one or more blanks, which are held by their other, so that when the sectional die moves up toward the rotating die the blanks are simulthe two dies at the instant when the points of engagement of the ribs with the blanks, respectively, are those which are requiredto enable the dies to form upon the blank either a single or a double thread, as the case may be.

face of the sectional die, and from that to the stationary concave die, the forked holders in which the blanks are suspended by the heads are given the capacity of oscillation in a plane at right angles with the axis of the blank. This is accomplished by pivoting the forked tional die, and by providing them with light springs, which yield, allowing the holders to sway inward from the edge of the sectional die, when the blanks have been engaged be tween the face of the sectional die and. the cylindrical die, thus permitting the blanks to be rolled along out of the holder and into thespace between the cylindrical die and the stationary concave die. This mode of feeding machines of this character may be employed to vfeed blanks one at a time, or two or more blanks at a time, according to the length of the sectional die.

In the accompanying drawings, representing a machine for rollin g the threads of screws tus, the sectional die is rspresented as being heads at the required distances from each taneously engaged by the ribs 011 the faces of Te enable the blanks to be rolled along the holders upon vertical pins carried by the-secprovided with my improved feeding appara- 1 too of suitable length to feed three blanks at a time,requiring three independent sets of ways, which are supplied with blanks from the same hopper, and from the lower ends of which respectively the blanks are successively cut off and dropped one by one into the forks by mechanism ofpecnliarconstrnction, which also forms a feature of my present invention.

The drawings are as follows:

Figure 1 is a top view of a machine for rolling screw-threads, provided with two rotating cylindrical dies and two stationary concave dies, and provided with a hopper with triple ways. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view, partly in horizontal section, showing a portion of the rotating primary die and the checking n1ecl1anism,thc section being taken through theline 0000 on Fig. 4, portions of. some of the parts being represented as broken away. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the line y y on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top view of the sectional die, showing the oscillating forked plates for receiving the blanks from the checks, the blanks being represented in horizontal section, taken immediately under the head, and the die being represented as drawn back. Fig. 6 represents the same parts as those shown in Fi 5 in thepositions they oceupyjust after the sectional die has been pushed forward into position to cause the engagement of the blanks by the rotating die.

The drawings represent a machine having a substantial frame, A, which aii'ords bearings for the vertical shafts B and 0, upon which the primary and secondary rotating dies 1) and c are respectively carried.

The primary and secondary stationary dies b and c are securely fastened to the frame in such relation to the rotating dies as to form the external boundaries of the sinuous path along which the screw-blanks are rolled by the action of the rotating cylindrical dies.

The device for introducing the blanks successively into this path consists of a sectional concave die, D, which is seated in suitable guides, and has a reciprocating movement in a horizontal plane toward and from the primary rotating die 1). Its movement away from the rotating die is eti'ected by the spring d, which yields and allows it to be moved toward the rotating die by the action of the cam d, affixed to the shaft 3 of the primary die. As the shaft B rotates the projections d upon the face of the cam d successively engage one end of the slide-bar (i to the opposite end of which is pivoted the lower end of the rocking lever (1 the upper end, (1, of which plays in a slot, 01, in the reciprocating sectional die D.

The top of the sectional concave die is provided with three oscillating plates, E F G, which swing in a horizontal plane upon the vertical pivots efg. The pivotf, for the central oscillating plate, F, is inserted in the top of the sectional die 1). The other pivots, c

and are inserted in the dates 0 and let a V l J i into the top of the sectional die D, and made adjustable toward and from the center of the sectional die by means of the slotted holes a and 9 through which the screws 0 and a e inserted, which confine them to the sectional die. The object of this adjustability is to facilitate the employment of the forked plates or blank-holders as gages for accurately fixing the relative positions of the several blanks, so that a timing of the motion of the sectional die I) with reference to the rotating cylindrical die, which is suitable for effecting the proper engagement of the blank suspended in the forked end F of the central blank-holder, will also be suitable for effecting the proper engagement of the other blanks.

The oscillating plates are provided with the springs 62f and aiiixed to posts 0 f and 9 which serve as stopsvto arrest the movement of the oscillating plates in one direction when their forked ends project over the face of the sectional die, as shown in Fig. 6.

The forked ends E F G of the oscillating plates are chain fered a non an angle corresponding with that of the under side of the head of a flat-head screw, and are hence adapted for the suspension of that class of screws by the heads. This chamfering of the forked ends is not, however, essential, especially in the case of round-head screws, the under sides of the heads of which are planes perpendicular to the axis of the screw. The three oscillating plates are equidistant, and when at rest project, it will be seen, over the front edge ofthe concave sectional die, so that screw-blanks suspended in them by the heads hang down between the face of the sectional die and the face of the rotating primary die.

The face of the concave sectional die is provided with parallel ribs, corresponding in their inclination with the parallel ribs upon the face of the stationary curved die, and so arranged as to be in alignment with the inclined ribs upon the face of the stationary die when the sectional concave die has been pushed sufficiently far toward the rotating die to compress the blanks suspended in the forks against the face of the rotating die.

The movement of the sectional die toward the rotating die is so timed that the blanks are compressed between the two dies at the instant when the ribs upon the opposed faces of the dies respectively at their points of engagement with the blanks occupy the prescribed relative positions. The sectional die is held in position by the cam d until the three blanks have been rolled along the face of the sectional die and into the space between the rotating die and the stationary concave die.

WVhen the blanks are seized by the rotating die and start upon their journey the springs c f 9 yield, permitting the plates to swing inward and the blanks to be rolled out of the forked ends E, F, and G, as shown in Fi 6. The oscillating plates immediately spring outward, and the sectional concave die is then drawn backward so far. as to bring the forked endsofthe plates, respectively, under the lower ends of the vertical tubes H H H. These tubes are ofslightly-greater diameter. than that of the headsof the screw-blanks, and are aflixed to thelower ends of the ways h h it, down which the blanks are conducted from a. hopper, H, of well-known construction.

The upper ends of thetubes H are partially covered by horizontally-reciprocating plates I I I. The edge of each of these plates is provided with the notch i,.havin g the same width as the space between the parallel sides of the ways, so that when the edge of the plate I abuts against the lower end of the ways the sides of the notch form a continuation of the two parallel paths along which the blanks, hanging by their heads, have been conducted bytheir own gravity from the hopper.

The reciprocating plates I are connected by the curved bar I to the carriage J, provided with a horizontal stem, J,.tl:e end of which is made to bear continuously against the cam K by the expanding spiral spring j, which bears at one end against the side of the frame in which the recjprocatin g carriage slides, and at riage back, and consequently hold the notched edges of the slides I I I against the lower ends of the ways in position to support screw-blanks by their heads with their shanks hanging in the tubes H. As the cam K rotates, withdrawing one of the projections from contact with the end of the stem j, the carriage is retracted by the expansion of the spiral spring j, and the notched plates I are drawn inward, thus removing the supports upon which the blanks have been suspended in the tubes H, and the blanks then fall by their own gravity into the forked ends of the oscillating plates E F G.

In order to hold the notched plates I down upon their seats, I provide the cap L, which extends transversely across the plates I and is secured at its ends to the side pieces, L,of the frame of the machine.

The cap It is provided with the notches l, to afford clearance for the heads of the blanks hanging in the plates, and the sides of the notches act as strippers, against which the edges of the blanks hear when the plates are withdrawn. During the operation of dropping the blanks through the tubes by the with drawal of the plates I the reciprocating stops or gates M M M are thrust transversely across the lower ends of the ways, respectively, and hold back the column of blanks resting in the ways. The motions of each of the transverse reciprocating stops M are imparted to it by means of a vertical pin, m, which plays in a slot, 1 formed in each of the sliding plates I, the shape and direction of these slots being such that as the sliding plates move back and forth from the ends, of the waysthe gates M are thrust to and fro across the ways. This mechanism, taken in connection with the reciprocating concave die, constitutes whatI call a multiple feed, which, for screw-machines of the character to which it is applied, has great importance, growing out of the unusual capacity of the machine to operate on a number of blanks at the same time, and the conseployment as a multiple feed for deliveringj screw-blanks to the action of a rotating die and a stationary concave die.

It will, of course, be seen that the sectional die may be employed to feed either one or more blanks to a similar machine by varying the number of forked holders, checks, and ways accordingly.

Instead of the sectional die D having the capacity of movement toward and from the rotatin g die, the ordinary concave die, I), of the machine may be made to have the capacity of movement toward and from the rotating die for the purpose of permitting the introduction of a blank or blanks between the two dies preparatory to submitting such blanks to the action of the dies for the purpose of forming the threads upon them, in which case the shorter die D can be dispensed with. In either case the blanks will be suspended by the heads, with theirbarrels extendingdownwardintothespace between the working-faces of the dies, and the instrumentalities upon which the blanks are thus suspended will have the capacityof yield,

ing in a plane at right angles to the axis of the blanks, so that when the blanks are seized between the dies and rolled along they will easily extricate themselves from the forked holders in which they have been respectively hung by their heads.

I claim as my invention- 1. A reciprocating concave die and one or more oscillating forked plates or holders for the suspension of screw-blanks, substantially as described, in combination with a rotating cylindrical die, and means of periodically moving the concave die toward and from the working-face of the rotating die, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A pair of ways for conducting screw-- blanks from a hopper, and a periodically-reciprocating check slide moving transversely acrossthe lower part ofthe ways, in combination with the notched plate I, moving toward and from the lower end of the ways and across the upper end of the vertical tube H, into which the screw-blanks are dropped when released from the notched plate, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for rolling the threads of screws, a movable die and a stationary die, the opposed faces of which are provided with parallel ribs inclined respectively in opposite directions, in combination with multiple feeding apparatus consisting of two or more pairs of inclined ways for supplying screw blanks from n lmpper or hoppers, and means of conveying the blanks from the ways and of si- 1 mnltaneonsly feeding two or more blanks 10 against different parts, respectivebg'of the working-face of the movable die, Substantially as described.

ll. A HARVEY.

\Vitncsscs:

M. L. ADAMS, \VM. RUMBLY. 

